Improved knife, nut-cracker, and picker



To all whom. Iit 'may concern.-

linttrd gime @anni Gettin.

GEORGE A.' FAIRFIELD, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT.

Letters Patent No. 101,448, dated April 5, 1870.

IMPROVVED KNIFEfNUT-CRACKER, AND PICKER The Schedule referred to inthese Lettera Patent and making part 0f the. am@

' Be it known that I, GEORGE A. FMRFIELD, of

Hartford, in the State of Connecticut, have invented a Table orFruit-Knife, Combined with a Nut-Cracker, and also with a Nut-Picker;and l dov hereby declare that the following, taken in connectionwith-the drawings which accompany and form part of this specification,is a description of my invention su'ilicient to enable those skilled inthe art to practice it.

vFigure 1 represents m v improved knife, with the jaws of the handlewhich compose the nut-cracker shown open;

Figure 2./is an edge or side view, with the hinged arm removed;

-Figure 3 is a plan, with the jaws closed and held to plac`e\by anut-picker;

higl'e\4 is the picker detached; and Figure 5,\an enlarged view, showingthe manner in which the jaws are held together by the screw-threaded pinor picker when the implement is'closed and ready l'oruse as a. knifeonly.

A represents the knife-blade, andA o B the handle.

This handle I make in two parts, as shown, the one integral or rigidlyailixed to the stock of the blade,

'and the other hinged thereto, as seen at C.

These 'two parts I form so as to leave a sutlicient space between themwhen partially open or separated, to receive and permit the crushing orcracking of the nut at a point in the neighborhood of the hinge, as seenat'D, the arms on their inner acesbeing ser-v rated, ridged, orronghened for a short distance at such pointy to prevent the nut fromslipping or flying out, the leverage of the two longer arms, whencompressed'together upon a nut by the grasp ofthe hand, serving, as inordinary nut-crackers, to multiply thel power. p

The outer ends ofthe two parts of the handlel bend or curve inwardtoward each other, as seen at a, one end lapping over the other so as tomake aneat, smooth 4 tit, and a. screw-threaded hole, b,is made throughboth i of these ends, or one only ofthe holes need be threaded toreceive a pin or nut, which may lserve to hold together these parts of`the handle when -not in use for a nut-cracker.

So far as described, the implement is complete as a. combined knife andnut-cracker; but as a nut-picker is usually needed in connection with acracker, I have devised an etcient as well as simple mode of adaptingthe above-described implement for picking also, so as to unite threefunctions and uses in one andthe same implement, or rather threediierent implements lin one, wit-hout rendering it clumsy orinconvenient, but on the contrary, of no more than ordinary size, andvlight and tasteful in appearance.

To effect this, I employ a picker, E, shaped-like a stiletto, its headserving as 4the'screw or pin for con- Vi'ning together the two arms 'ofthe handle, and the point reposing in a cavity prepared for it at c, inthe stock, near the joint or hinge.

This arrangement and securing of the picker (the screw-thread insuringits holding its place until diliberately removed for use): not onlyvholds the crackers together, but it sheathes the point ofthe picker4and adds much, as will be seen, to the beauty and inish.

It will beevident that a great variety of patterns may be made, anddivers modifications, without de parting from the spirit of myinvention; also, that both arms of the lcracker might beA hinged, ifpreferred; also, that't-he picker may be made of dii'erent Ashapes orstyles, or may be secured to the handle by any well-known means o'fattachment, instead of by a screw-tlnead; also, that the knife-blade maybe detachable from the cracker, it' desired; but the generalconstruction l haveshownl I deem' the best, because ot its entiresimplicity, neatness, and efliciency.

I claim the combina-tion of a'fruit or table-knife ,with a nut-cracker,substantially as set forth'.

Also, the combination of a nut-cracker with a nutpicker, substantiallyasset forth.

Also, the combination with -a fruit or table-knife of a nut-cracker anda nut-picker, substantially as set fort-h. v

Witnesses: GEORGE A; FAIRFIELD.

ERAsTU'svSi-wu'm, WILLln D. CONWALL.

